Lasioglossum (Dialictus) coeruleum (Robertson)

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) coeruleum (Robertson) View in CoL

Halictus coeruleus Robertson, 1893: 146 . Ƥ 3.

Lectotype. Ƥ USA, Illinois, Macoupin Co., Carlinville, 10.iv.1889 (C. Robertson); [INHS: 8806] by W. E. LaBerge (in Webb 1980). Examined.

Taxonomy. Robertson, 1902b: Chloralictus caeruleus , p. 248 (key); Viereck, 1916: Halictus ( Chloralictus) caeruleus , p. 706; Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum ( Chloralictus) coeruleum View in CoL , p. 1113. (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus coeruleus Ƥ3, p. 387 (redescription, key); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum ( Dialictus) coeruleum View in CoL , p. 463 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus coeruleus , p. 1965 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus coeruleus , p. 95 (catalogue); Pesenko et al. 2000: Evylaeus coeruleus , p. 6 (review); Gibbs, 2010b: Lasioglossum ( Dialictus) coeruleum View in CoL Ƥ3, p. 97 (redescription, key).

Diagnosis. Both sexes of L. coeruleum are easily recognisable by their large size ( 5.3–7.1 mm), body with deep metallic blue colouration (sometimes with green reflections), sparse metasomal pubescence, and mesepisternal punctures fine (sometimes obscure in females).

Range. Ontario south to Georgia, west to Kansas. USA: DE, GA, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, NY, TX, VA, WI, WV. CANADA: ON, PQ.

DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.

Comments. Common.

Lasioglossum coeruleum is known to form primitively eusocial colonies in rotten logs ( Stockhammer 1967).